A Simple Decision
by magicalalice
Summary: Her first decision was an easy one, they didn't leave her with much of a choice. This time is different however, the decision made will have an impact on everyone involved.
1. Chapter 1

AN: I am making no profit off of this, nor do I own anything. I am just having a fun time playing in a sandbox that was built by JKR. Please enjoy!

AN Update: still don't own anything, but I wanted to rework some of it. I originally wrote this piece at like 2 in the morning whilst half asleep and I wasn't quite happy with it, so I went in, rearranged some stuff, and rewrote other bits. I hope you enjoy the rewrite, let me know what you think. I might add more bits later if I can.

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After the end of the war, returning to the muggle world was not a decision Hermione has initially seen herself making. It was her decision that had been made for her. She left shortly after the battle ended to try and find her parents, only to discover that she had inadvertently sent them to an early grave. They're plane had crashed somewhere over the Indian Ocean. There was no warm welcome awaiting her when she returned to England. The Weaselys were busy grieving the loss of their son, and Hermione and her personal grief were clearly not wanted, especially after Lavender Brown had taken her place as the pseudo daughter. She was forced to deal with the pain of her loss and her nightmares alone. Harry was no better than the Weasley clan. He felt abandoned by his friend, and his blind dedication to Ginny lead to him agreeing with whatever she wanted.

Hermione knew she needed to start over, and so she left. She had never considered the possibility of returning to the wizarding world. At least not until now.

It had been years since the war had ended that fateful day in May. It felt like ages since she left behind a world that once intrigued her so wholeheartedly. She finally felt like she was getting somewhere where she could see herself being happy. She managed to complete a degree in historic artifacts, and was working at a museum to help pay for graduate school. She had a decent little flat in central London, not to far from Waterloo Station. She had a small group of friends, well if you could call a class assigned study group friends. She was content enough to just keep going the way she had for years. However, all of the things that she was experiencing now didn't make up for the fact that she was alone. She was still haunted by nightmares, she desperately missed her parents and friends, and she missed doing magic. She was still alone.

That was before. Now she was happier than she could have ever imagined possible, and with the person she would never have guessed.

Hermione was walking along Waterloo Station trying to figure out her own plans for dinner when she saw it. The unmistakable shock of white blond hair. Hair she was certain she had only seen in the world she had long left behind. Hermione shook her head dismissing the thought of Draco Malfoy walking about in the muggle world, especially a train station that wasn't Kings Cross. Hermione hadn't been paying the most attention to where see was going, just following the flow of the crowd when she smacked into something solid and almost wall like. She was about to fall down when two large and warm hands held her in place.

"Granger?"

"Malfoy?" The had questioned each other at the same time. They had stopped where they were standing, unable to break eye contact, his hands still holding onto her small frame. It wasn't until some other passerby bumped into them that they were able to move again, the spell like hold on them gone faster than it appeared. They stood there awkwardly more a moment before Hermione began to laugh at the absurdity of running into Draco Malfoy if all people in the muggle world. Her laughter must have been contagious as Draco soon joined her. When their laughter subsided Draco was surprised when he asked her to join him at a nearby pub for drinks, and Hermione was equally surprised to find herself readily agreeing.

They sat there for hours as they talked, getting to know each other and discussing everything under the sun. Hermione learned that like her, Draco had studied at a muggle university and managed to start her own business. What his company did exactly, she wasn't sure. She knew that it somehow helped other companies deal and communicate with other companies, but for what purpose, she didn't know. Not that she minded. It felt wonderful to find someone who knew what they left behind. Someone who knew what it felt like to have no other options, who understood the need to start over, especially after everything they experienced. They kept meeting after that night, sometimes at the pub and sometimes they went elsewhere or just walked about the city. They got to know each other without petty house rivalries and a war getting in the way. It wasn't very long until their friendship evolved into something more, something deeper. Before they knew it they had moved in together. Hermione was about to finish grad school and Draco's business was doing extremely well.

The couple didn't think they could be any happier. Draco had been planning on proposing in a few weeks, on the second anniversary of when they bumped into each other at Waterloo Station, but when Hermione told him that he was going to be father he proposed to her right then and there.

In a little under six months they would be welcoming their first child into the world. They had decided to wait until after their child arrived to get married. The only question they had was where they wanted to raise their child. Would they return to the wizarding world in order to be closer to family, namely Narcissa, or would they stay in the muggle world, the place where they were able to start over and fall in love. Narcissa had always supported their relationship, and always would. Now that there was a grandchild on the way, she was trying to be supportive of their decision either way. But she desperately wanted the growing family to return to the wizarding world. She had made it very clear how much she desperately wanted them to live at Malfoy Manor with her.

With the decision looming over them, they had decided to go for a walk along the river near Waterloo Station. They watched the sunset over the river as they stood together. Both Draco and Hermione knew what they were going to do in the end, but neither had been able to find the words to express it properly.

Until now.

"I'm ready to go home Draco." Hermione whispered softly as she leaned back into the wizard behind her.

"Then let's go home love." Draco murmured as he pressed his lips to the top of her head, his arms wrapped around her protectively. As long as Hermione had his arms around her, they both felt safe and sound. They would be able to make a home anywhere as long as they were together. It was finally time for them to return to the wizarding world they had once left behind.


	2. Chapter 2

Draco and Hermione had been together for a few weeks now. They hadn't yet exchanged those three words just yet, they both felt it would be coming sooner rather than later. It was an unusually bright and sunny day in London when they decided that a walk through Hyde Park would be the perfect way to spend their afternoon together. They slowly wound their way through the park, stopping here and there along the way in order for Hermione to snap a few photos on her new muggle camera. She took pictures of little baby ducks and the trees, just about anything that managed to catch her eye.

While both had been in the muggle world for quite some time, Draco was still hesitant to use certain muggle contraptions, Hermione's camera was one of them. Hermione has finally convinced him to at least carry the camera for a few minutes while she popped over to a nearby ice cream truck. Draco was facing away from her, playing with her "blasted muggle contraption" as she made her way back over to him. She silently observed him for a brief moment before making her presence known.

Startled by her sudden reappearance, Draco jumped slightly in the air, nearly letting go of the camera in the process.

"Merlin Hermione!" Draco breathed, "you scared me half to death! I could have stopped this… this thingy and it could have exploded or something!" He continues, with the most serious expression on his face. Hermione stared at him for a second before bursting into laughter, still holding and ice cream cone in each hand.

"Wait! Don't move, please!" Draco asked as Hermione began to move to hand him his ice cream, laughter still etched on her face, but she froze instantly as she saw Draco trying to get the camera into position. "I'm about to take the perfect picture love." He explained as he got the camera in place. Smiling sweetly at the camera, she waited for him to take her picture.

"One, two, three, click" Draco said as he took the picture, a large grin on his face as he pulled the camera away from his face.

"You know you don't have to say click right?" Hermione giggled as she handed him his ice cream and grabbed his hand to continue their walk.

Draco's grin faded slightly as they walked along, a serious expression taking over his face instead.

"You just looked so beautiful Hermione, I had to take you picture. I love you Hermione." He informed her after a few moments of silence. Draco's declaration had caused Hermione to freeze in place. Draco began to worry slightly that it was too soon, until he noticed the small smile growing in her face as she looked up at him.

"I, I love you too Draco. I know it hasn't been very long, but I love you Draco Malfoy." She declared in a very Gryffindor-esq manner. Their ice cream cones hit the ground and quickly forgotten as she pulled him down to kiss her.

It was years later that Hermione found the camera, after they had eventually returned to the wizarding world to raise their family. She took the film in to be developed and have prints made to surprise Draco. It was when they found the picture Draco had taken of her that day in Hyde Park that they both broke into laughter. All you could see were Hermione's feet.

"Hmm, just a beautiful as I remember." Draco murmured as he pressed a kiss against the side of her head. Hermione's shoulda were shaking with laughter.

"Well, now we know the real reason I take pictures and not you." Hermione managed to get out between her laughter.

"I love you" they said to each other as they fondly remember that day in the park.

AN: I felt oddly inspired to write a little piece of Dramione so I did. In my head this takes place at some point in the original Dramione one shot I posted for Chapter one. I'm sorry it's so short. Let me know what you think or if you have any other ideas for some little Dramione drabbles I should include here. Thanks for reading! Still don't own anything and I don't make money doing this.

P.S. I'll probably come back and edit this later.


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